Where I Buy Stuff

Yesterday I went shopping for vegetables across the street at House of Produce. It’s a small Asian market with vegetables that are not normally found at the larger Luckys grocery store also across from where I live. Anyway, I figured we could maybe start on some of the channeled recipes for this blog.

The first ding donged thing that happens as I walk in the door wanting to find some Marukan Rice Vinegar that I really like is somebody in Spirit directs me, quite forcefully I might add, to purchase some chili paste. I knew this stuff was going to be hot. The name is Sambal Oelek and is advertised on the label as ground fresh chili paste. If you are interested it is made in California by Huy Fong Foods. Last night I opened it up and stuck my finger in….for the first and last time. I walked out into the living room with my tongue hanging out into the air trying to cool it off and offered the jar to DeeDude. He stuck his finger in too to taste it. While his eyes were watering he said, “Yum”. Right, well he can have it. No way, no how am I going to be putting any of that into these recipes. If you will notice in the picture Miss Sheba is out of focus in the background sitting on DeeDude’s computer chair.

While I was in the store I also found some Kikkoman Mirin style sweet cooking seasoning. It’s right next to the rice vinegar in the picture. I’m not sure what I’ll be using it for. Probably I’ll use it instead of sugar in stir fry recipes. I do like my stir fry sauces with a bit of sweet to them.

I purchased the usual things…green and red peppers, a double handful of bean sprouts, some of those baby bananas that have a nutty flavor, an onion, some green onions, a shallot, some little white potatoes and some bok sum. I’d never actually had bok sum before. Baby bok choi I know about and have used often, but bok sum? No. It didn’t have the smooth curved surface that the baby bok choi has. It was sort of straight edged with tiny yellow flowers on it. Unfortunately, we don’t have a picture just now…so, I’ll try to find something on the internet or since I’m getting a chorus of no’s right now from Spirit might be making a trip back to the store to purchase some more of each kind later on today.

The lady in the store told me that she will sometimes make a salad out of bean sprouts, sliced tomato, green onions and white vinegar. I asked her if the rice vinegar I was purchasing would do and she said no, she used white vinegar. I asked if she cooks the bean sprouts and she said no, she uses them raw. So, I might try that.

The making of our dinner last night, though not technically a channeled recipe, was in fact well attended throughout the making of it by Folks in Spirit. They are quite helpful when I cook in the kitchen making all sorts of suggestions. Like last night I decided to use a box of Rice a Roni wild grain rice mix. As I was putting the stuff into the skillet they said I should add an additional cup of water and half a cup of my Uncle Ben’s rice. I’ve never done that before. I checked to make sure the cooking time would be okay and it all worked out fine.